1. Field of Invention:
This application relates to improved sports racquets having elements positioned on the outside of the frame through which strings pass.
2. State of the Art:
This application describes an improvement of applicant James Darling's earlier U.S. Pat. No. 4,786,055 (Nov. 22, 1988) entitled "Sports Racquet." That patent describes a sports racquet with elements placed between the outer edge of the frame and the strings. The elements prevent the strings from touching the outer edge of the frame and pivot when a ball strikes the playing surface and pushes the strings. The action of the elements increases the area of the sweet spot and dissipates the vibration caused when a ball strikes the playing surface.
The bottom surfaces of the elements described in the earlier patent are preferably spherical or elliptical and seat in receptacles in the racquet frame. The receptacles have a surface with substantially the same curvature as the bottom surface of the elements.
The following references were cited in the earlier patent:
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Racquets for tennis, racquetball, squash and other racquet sports include a handle, a frame and strings interwoven through the frame to form a playing surface. Players hit a ball, different for each sport, toward a desired location by striking the ball with the string playing surface. A given racquet's power and control depend on many factors: the size, weight and shape of the racquet; the materials from which the racquet and strings are made; the tension of the strings in the racquet frame; and the presence of elements such as those described in applicant's earlier U.S. Pat. No. 4,786,055.
Hitting the ball in the sweet spot, an area usually near and surrounding the center of the playing surface, results in maximum power and control. The sweet spot's location, size and shape varies with racquet shape and design, but making the sweet spot as large as possible is a goal of most racquet designers. Applicant's earlier patent provided an improved sweet spot.
When the ball strikes the strings, the racquet frame vibrates, especially if the ball misses the sweet spot. This vibration is transferred from the racquet frame to the user's arm and can cause tennis elbow or other health problems. Applicant's previous patent describes several solutions to improve the playability of sports racquets and to lessen the transferred vibration inherent in racquet sports. The previous patent also taught an inexpensive and simple design for a sports racquet with an expanded sweet spot that provides improved power and control and lessens the vibration to the player's arm caused by impact of the strings with the ball. The racquet of the present invention improves on that design.